Don't Love Me
by Mizumi Gintori
Summary: Riko Akarino meets the persocom Mizumi in the restaurant of his friend and is quite attracted to her, but it seems there's something going on with her...
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER I. MIZUMI**

"So, this is his new restaurant?" He looks at the giant building, spots the name in sparkling capitals above the door. "_Crystal Dragon_". "Well, the name's correct..." He enters the restaurant, looks around. A dozen of persocoms is serving the customers, as usual these days in the Japan of the 22nd century. With those latest models, it's only visible they're not human girls by the ears. Suddenly, a man with the name tag "Manager Tazuka" approaches him.  
"Well, well, if that's not Riko Akarino! I'm glad you've come," he says, stretching out his hand. Riko shakes it smiling.  
"Of course I did! Come on, real friendship never dies, Hideto-san," he says. "Well, I must say you've done a great job on your restaurant! And all these persocoms... How did you afford them? Won the lottery or something?"  
"No, dumped models," Hideto says, "I got them very cheaply and they all are good and hard workers. Well, all... there's one..." He sighs deeply, whistles. "Hey! Number Thirteen! There's a customer over here!" A girl in the back looks up: she has sparkling blue eyes and long, brown hair with a purple hair-band. Riko glares at her as she walks to them.  
"Welcome to "Crystal Dragon", sir," she says merrily to Riko, "I hope you will enjoy your visit here."  
"_Thir-teen_," Hideto sighs. The girl looks up inquiringly.  
"What... O, yes! Would you like to order, sir? Can I take your coat, please? Have a very nice day, sir!"  
"That's what I meant," Hideto declares, "number Thirteen here almost crashes when you remind her of something." Riko's still glaring at the persocom, almost in trance.  
"Gosh, she's so cute... Is her name really number Thirteen?"  
"Not really. You see, all persocoms here have names, but I rather remember numbers than names," Hideto explains. Riko nods absent-mindedly.   
"I see... Hey, number Thirteen? What's your real name?" She smiles at him shiningly.  
"It is Mizumi, sir," she says.  
"Ah, Mizumi!" Hideto mutters, "I _knew_ it was something with 'mizu' in it... Sorry, Riko-kun, I have to help the other customers, I'll speak to you later. Mizumi, _please_ take his order _without _forgetting something!"  
"Okay, sir!" Hideto leaves, and Riko takes a seat, without even getting his eyes off Mizumi.  
"So your name is Mizumi... Like in _mizûmi_, lake?"  
"It is, sir," Mizumi smiles. "Can I take your coat, sir?"  
"I don't wear a coat, Mizumi."  
"Oh..." She bows immediately. "I am so very sorry, sir. Please forgive me, I am so very awkward." He grabs her hand.  
"It's okay, Mizumi. You're doing great!"  
"Thank you very much, sir," she says relieved, "Well, can I take your order, please?"  
"If you'll stop being so polite towards me, you can," Riko winks. Mizumi's eyes suddenly turn blankly.  
"I can not do that, sir. That is beyond my standard programming, I will crash if I will do that." She bends to him, whispers in his ear: "and I do not want to crash again, sir. Manager... Tazuka-san told me that, if I would, he would fire me and shut me off because I am so worthless."  
"Mizumi..." She rises smilingly. "It is fine, sire," she says, "well, can I finally take your order now?"

"And, what do you think about the place?" Hideto asks, as Riko has finished his meal.   
"It's a great restaurant, really," Riko says, "but... that Mizumi..."  
"You seem to be attracted to her," Hideto smiles, "I must admit that I was so, too, when I first saw her... I only needed twelve persocoms and I'd already bought that amount, but then I saw Mizumi. She seemed so lonely without the others, that I decided to buy her as well. I got her so cheaply, that I thought: ah, well, why not... Now I realize why she was that cheap." He sighs deeply. "It seems like half of her programming has stuck or something, I dunno... However, would you like to come back here, Riko-kun?"  
"Sure!" Hideto smiles.  
"Then this visit was free. Hey, MIZUMI!" Mizumi, in the back again, looks up from a conversation with a persocom with orange, braided hair.  
"Yes, manager, sir?"  
"Riko-kun here would like to leave. So, what do you say to him?" She thinks, thinks for a long while. Then, she calls out:  
"I hope you enjoyed your visit, sir! Please come again, sir!" The whole restaurant is startled by her calling, and Hideto shakes his head.  
"Don't call it out, Mizumi!"  
"Oh... I am very sorry, sir," she says quickly, bowing to him, "please be forgiving."  
"Yeah, yeah, it's fine! You can go back to your friend." Mizumi nods, glares at Riko for a while with an intruding look. Then she walks back to the persocom she was talking with.  
"Well, the calling was one of the things that are wrong with her," Hideto says, "anyway, thanks for coming and see you!"


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER II. SECRET**

When Riko arrives at his apartment, he can't stop thinking about Mizumi. "She's so... I don't know, but..." he mutters, sighing deeply, "I simply need to see her again... Would it be very strange if I'd come back tomorrow?"

"Hey, Riko-kun!" says Hideto surprised. "Enjoyed your meal so much yesterday that you're back already?"  
"Ehm, yeah, kind of," Riko grins. He looks around, sees Mizumi passing the one other table with customers. It's not quite busy at the restaurant.  
"Really? Only the meal?" Hideto grins. "Or Mizumi, too?" Riko looks up blushing.  
"I'm sorry, I..."  
"Ah, I can understand it," Hideto smiles, "I've already told you; you're not the only one who fell for her charms. Oh, did you want to take his order already, number Twelve?"  
"I am HERINDERA, thank you very much," the persocom Mizumi talked to yesterday, the one with the braids, says sarcastically. "And yes, if this sir has already decided what he would like to have, I would like to know it."  
"Hey, not so unkind to a customer, Herindera," Mizumi says, appearing behind her. "Oh, it is you, sir?" she smiles, when she sees Riko. "Would you like the same as you had yesterday then, sir? I have remembered your order, sir!"  
"That'd be fine, Mizumi," Riko smiles. She nods happily and walks to the kitchen, watched by both Riko and Herindera.  
"Oh, this is _great_," the last one says, "congratulations, sir, she appears to have made you her number One favourite customer."

"Hello, sir! Wow, this is already your twenty-sixth visit this month," Mizumi smiles, when Riko enters the restaurant once again. "Can I take your coat now, sir? You wear one, you wear one!"  
"You may, Mizumi," he smiles, "and once more, just call me by name!"  
"But I..." He lays his finger against her lips while she takes of his coat protesting.   
"Come on, it's not that hard! Ri-ko, that's all!"  
"Ri... Ri..." She shakes her head, hangs away his coat. "Sorry, Riko-san, I just can not say it." He smiles.  
"Don't lie! You can, Mizumi."  
"Huh?"  
"You just called me Riko-san."  
"I... did?" He chuckles when he sees her surprised face, lays his hands against her cheeks.  
"Yes, you did... hey, you're blushing!"  
"Oh... yes, I... ehm..."  
"I never knew persocoms were able to blush?" She looks shyly at the floor, doesn't respond. Suddenly, two other persocoms appear.   
"Mum, we... hey, is he not that customer you like so much?" The one with short, brown hair says. The other one, with long, black hair, sighs deeply.  
"_Jira_!" she says muttering. Mizumi looks up sighing.  
"What is up, girls? Do not yell, you disturb the other customers like that!"  
"Oh, never mind," the black-haired girl says, "we will tell you later, then." Riko looks at Mizumi as the persocoms leave.  
"Eh... 'mum'?"   
"Quite a long story," Mizumi mutters quickly. Riko smiles.   
"Hey, you won't get rid of me that easily! I love long stories! Take a seat, Mizumi, and tell me... unless you don't want to, of course."  
"Riko-san, I have to work!"  
"There are thirteen persocoms walking around here for ten customers, girl." Mizumi doubts, then she nods.  
"Okay, it is fine. I will first ask the manager."

Mizumi takes a seat at his table, clears her throat and starts her story. "Well, Riko-san... The twins, Saka and Jira are their names, were made after the first seven persocoms of our series. I was number seven, the ultimate improvement of the other six persocoms. So, my creator made up a plan... to make two new persocoms containing my programming, but with different personalities to create persocoms as close to human girls as possible. And so, he created the twin sisters." Riko looks at her doubtingly.  
"I don't get it... you say you are an improvement, but why do you keep telling me you always crash?"  
"Because I_ do_," she whispers, "I _do_ crash a lot of times, because... The reason I am an improvement... I have something in my programming similar to a human heart."  
"A heart..." She nods gently.  
"Don not tell this to anyone else, Riko. Not even Tazuka-san, okay?"  
"I swear." She glares at the table.  
"We... the persocoms, these series... were made to improve the humans, to surpass the human being. To make computers live, let them have a heart, sleep, hunger, thirst; that is the reason why we were made. The first six attempts failed more or less, but I was the way our creator wanted us to be. Except for the fact... my heart can not cope too much. One, too strong feeling, or command, and I will crash immediately. Saka and Jira were created to improve that mistake in me, and so were the last four persocoms of our series." She sighs deeply. "But things went wrong, very wrong... and so we ended up so cheaply in that store the manager bought us. But my programming never stopped working... I still can feel... I do have a heart, Riko. Right here." She lays her hand against her chest, grabs his hand with her other hand. And then he suddenly hears her heartbeat.  
"I can hear it..."  
"I know you can not, but thanks for saying it," she whispers, smiling weakly. He shakes his head.  
"No, girl. I mean it, I can really hear your heart beating."  
"You just called me 'girl'," she whispers. He smiles, nods.  
"Yes, Mizumi. You look like a girl, you behave like one... you are a complete person to me. Without the word 'com' behind it."  
"Riko-chan..." She immediately puts her hands against her mouth shocked. "Oh, goodness! I am so terribly sorry; I meant to say Riko-_san_, but..."  
"Calm down!" he laughs. "Just call me Riko-chan if you want to... _Mizi_." She blushes.  
"Mizi... that is kind of sweet..."  
"So are you," he whispers, caressing her cheek. But she turns her head away from him.  
"No, Riko... Don't... Don't love me..." She suddenly stands up and runs away.

**  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER III. BUYING**

"Mizi, WAIT!" He stands up as well, but another persocom gets in his way.   
"Do not follow her," she says, "do not, sir. Disaster might strike if you will do."  
"But..."  
"Sir!" another persocom calls. "Just _listen_ to her! Do not follow Mizumi, sir! She is not called Number Thirteen for _nothing_!"  
"Get out of my way," says Riko coolly, "who do you think you are to command me!"  
"Who we are? Ameiru and Meari, sir," the blonde one says, "for the use as computer, we are the strongest persocoms around here, though we do not have a heart like Mizumi. Trust me; we know what we are talking about." Riko nods gently.  
"Okay... I hope for you that you know it for sure, then."  
"Sir..." Meari says. "She has already told you too much, you know. If she tells you too much, she – and so will we – crash completely." Riko sighs deeply.  
"Can't you just let me _talk_ to her? Not about her secrets or whatever, okay, I just need to tell her my feelings!"  
"That really is the last thing you must do," another persocom says, "you have heard Mizumi, sir. Do not fall in love with her." He turns away from her.  
"How silly this may sound, it's already too late now," he says, "why do you think I keep coming here every day? I just need to see her, no matter if she's a persocom or not! I don't care! She's a human girl to me, okay!"  
"Sir, that would not be the biggest problem," the persocom vaguely says, "first of all, as you might have noticed, Mizumi can not handle very strong feelings, she will crash immediately. And we all know the most powerful feeling."  
"You mean..." The persocom nods.  
"Yes, sir. She will not be able to return your love, ever, because that will crash her down completely. And since our creator is... not able to repair her, there is no chance to get her back in that case." Riko takes a seat beaten.   
"So there is no way... or is there one?" The persocom hesitates.  
"Well, there actually _is_," she says, "but I can not tell you. I am sorry, sir."

It's the next morning, and Riko passes "Crystal Dragon" gloomily. "I can't see her anymore," he whispers, "unbelievable... I finally found the girl I can really love, and now..."  
"RIKO-CHAN!" He looks up astounded: the next moment, Mizumi lies sobbingly in his arms. "Riko-chan, you have to help me... you _have_ to..."  
"Mizi, what..." She looks at him crying.  
"Tazuka-san has fired me, Riko-chan! I'm_ fired_! I have to leave this place... My family, all my friends, all of them..."  
"Mizi, calm down," he mutters, remembering the persocoms' words._ Mizumi can not handle very strong feelings._ "Tell me exactly what's happened."  
"_I_ will tell you!" Hideto calls, coming out of his restaurant. "That worthless persocom in your arms is horrible! She's completely crashed, can't remember a thing..."  
"Give her a break, Hideto-san," Riko says, "it's not _her_ fault!"  
"Well, whether it's her fault or not, I'm selling her anyway," Hideto says shrugging. Riko suddenly gazes at him.  
"Really? Fine... how much do you want for her?"  
"What!"  
"Let me buy her," says Riko, pushing a sobbing Mizumi against him. "I'll take good care of her, and she can still see her friends and family now and then."  
"Wow... you really treat her as a normal girl, don't you?" says Hideto astounded.  
"She is a real girl to me," he says, "and I care a lot about her, so... how much do you want for her?"  
"I... ehm..." Hideto's still glaring at him. "Okay... what about five-thousand yen?"  
"Sounds good to me. Deal." Mizumi looks up at Riko.  
"Riko-chan, you don not have to... I did not mean you had to _buy_ me to help me..."  
"It's the best I can do for you now, Mizi," he smiles, "I can only hope you're happy to have me as your owner from now on."  
"Oh... I..." She blushes, suddenly smiles shiningly. "Yes, Riko-chan, I am very happy with it."  
"Fine. Okay, Hideto-san..."Riko grabs his wallet. "Here you are, five-thousand yen."  
"Fair buying," Hideto says, taking the money. "She's all yours now, Riko-kun."


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER IV. BACK**

"Riko-chan?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Are you sure you will not regret it you have bought me?" He looks at her. "It would be the last thing I'll regret, Mizi. That answer will do, won't it?" She blushes, clings his arm.  
"Do not be so sweet... you know I am not used to it, I will crash..."  
"Please, get used to it then." She looks at him astonished, sees his smiles. "Come on, Mizi, let me show you my apartment."

"So, this is the guestroom," he says, showing her the last room. "Would you mind staying there?" She shakes her head quickly. "No! No, I love it... I think..." She gazes at him blankly, suddenly collapses.   
"MIZI! Mizi, wake up!"  
"Mm..." She gently opens her eyes, finds out she's lying in his arms. "Riko... What... Who..." She looks around. "Where am I?" She sees Riko's expression, glares shyly at the floor. "Oh, gees... I crashed again, did I not?"  
"Guess so," he mutters, "you shocked me, that's all I know."  
"I am very sorry..."  
"Come on, like it's your fault! Now, let's get you up..." He lifts her up, pushes her against him. "You're alright, girl? You're trembling."  
"I am fine," she whispers, smiling weakly at him. "I am okay, Riko-chan... Must be my so-called 'heart' again..." He smiles, caresses her cheek.  
"I'll take care it won't happen again, okay?" She nods gently.  
"Okay..."

"Riko-chan, wake up! Sun is shining, time to get up!" He opens his eyes sleepily, looks suddenly in Mizumi's face that's hanging above his.   
"Ehr... good morning!" She giggles.  
"Sorry, did I scare you? I would not be surprised, I sure _am _creepy!"  
"No, you're sweet," he smiles, sitting up. "I _do_ prefer a calmer way of waking up, tho'. But you're sweet, Mizi, not creepy at all."  
"Oh..." Her eyes turn blankly once again, and Riko grabs her shoulders quickly.  
"Not again! Sorry, I'm sorry girl! Don't crash!"  
"Uh..." she gently opens her eyes, glares at him. "That was close to crashing, but I did not this time," she mutters, "I am sorry..."  
"I'm the one who should be sorry," he says, "I should have known... however, did you have a reason to awake me this early? It's seven o'clock and Sunday morning!"  
"Ehm... I made us breakfast," she says shyly, "Meari, the persocom with the short orange hair, has taught me some of her recipes, so I thought... Maybe I could make something..." He smiles.  
"That very sw... Eh... thank you very much, Mizi." She giggles.  
"That sounds really weird! You nickname me and you are so polite in the mean while! Come on, Riko-chan! Get up, get up! Rise and shine!"

It's a few weeks later, and again they're sitting at the breakfast-table. Riko's glaring at her as usual. "You're unbelievable, Mizi."  
"Oh, you mean because I am able to eat as a persocom? It is because I..."  
"No!" He grabs her hand. "No girl, I meant... your cooking, your kindness, your... just, everything." She blushes.  
"Beware, before I crash again..." She suddenly looks straight in his eyes. "Riko-chan? Could you... could you take me to Crystal Dragon tomorrow? I miss my friends... the twins..." She lays her hand against her chest. "I can feel them right here, that is fine, but I..."  
"I understand." He lays his hand on her other hand, which is resting on the table. "We'll go see them tomorrow, I promise you."  
"Thank you..." She closes her eyes happily. "Thank you, Riko-chan..."

"Hi, Riko-ku... You brought _her_ with you!" Hideto says when they arrive at the restaurant. Mizumi hides herself behind Riko scaredly, and he looks at Hideto kind of pugnaciously.  
"Yes, I did, why? Do you have a problem with it? She's here as my guest, y'know."  
"Welcome, guests!" An unknown voice suddenly says. "Welcome to "Crystal Dragon"." A persocom appears, but her face isn't a known one. Mizumi glares at her.  
"And who might you be?"  
"Oh, I am Neko," the girl smiles, "I am new here. You are a persocom too, right?"  
"I am the one who worked her before _you_ replaced me," says Mizumi coolly, "and I do not like to be replaced like this, Neko!"  
"Miz! MIZ!" A voice calls; the persocom Herindera appears in the door's opening. "You are back! Oh, please tell me you are going to replace that stupid Cat! She does not know a thing about this place and she is SO annoying!"  
"Shut up, Herindera!" Neko calls. Herindera points at her.  
"That is what I meant."  
"I actually came to see you, guys," Mizumi interrupts in a whisper, "but you _obviously _do not need me anymore." She runs away, unfastens herself from Riko who tried to stop her.  
"COME BACK, MIZI!"

**  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER V. HOME**

"Mizi! Blasted! Where on earth are you!" Riko calls, almost angrily, "C'mon, girl! Your friends never replaced you, no-one will can!" He stops as he sees a movement from behind a tree. "Mizi?"  
"I am not Mizumi," a voice whispers, "I am her daughter..." He grabs the girl's hands.  
"Hey, you're Saka, right? The one with the black hair... Do you have any idea of where Mizumi might be?" The girl simply shrugs, and Riko sighs deeply. "You're not much of a help, are you?"  
"I have a clue, but I am not sure of where she might be," says Saka, "but I can ask..."  
"Ask who?" She smiles merrily.  
"My sister, of course! Jira is with her, she is the one who took her with her. Just a moment, then I can contact her..." She closes her eyes, concentrates._ Jira? Are you there? _ She thinks it that loudly that even Riko can hear it.  
"Wow," he mutters impressed, "I've never known persocoms could actually do this kind of stuff, communicating via thoughts..."  
_I am here with Mizumi, _the answer suddenly sounds.  
_ Yes, I know. Why do you not tell me where you are?  
I simply will not.  
O, come on! Why not?  
Mizumi does not want me to tell it. She does not want Riko-san to find her now she has completely crashed, and Riko-san was the one who asked you to find her, was he not?   
_"She has WHAT!" Riko calls. Saka opens her eyes gently.  
"Not so loud, Riko-san, you're disturbing my contact."  
"But..."  
"Ssh."_ Jira, are you... at home? _A silence. Then:_  
I… I can not tell.  
So you are?  
I... yes... _ Saka opens her eyes, closes the contact and looks merrily at Riko.  
"I have got it! Listen. Jira and I ran away to go back where we came from after Tazuka-san fired our mother. Then she contacted us, which was this afternoon, and told us she was crashing and desperately needed help. She managed to get here, fell down into Jira's arms, completely crashed down at that moment. She muttered your name and that you had to stay away from her, so we decided what seemed for the best... Jira would take her to a safe place, while I actually should be waiting for you to tell you that you could not see Mizumi ever again." She coughs. "I have inherited from my mother that I can hardly say 'no', you know... so it went a little different..." She sighs deeply, suddenly glares at him. "You... you have started to care about her very much, did you not?" He nods.  
"Yes, I did... It feels like I've known her for so long," he says, "like... we've always been, and always will be, together."  
"I see..." Saka smiles. "I have already seen it coming... I have always known that He would appear in a shape like yours..."  
"Huh?" Riko asks. Saka chuckles.  
"Yes, He! The One..."  
"The... One?"  
"Gees, you look like my mother qua intelligence," Saka grins, "that kindly means you are 'not quite smart'... Come on, Riko-san! Oh, I have a better idea, I think..." She grabs his hand, smiles. "We are going to my mother and sister!"

"What the..." Riko whispers, standing next to Saka in front of a huge building.  
"This is the place I can call home," Saka says, "this is the place where the "Nepuchun" were made."  
"Nepuchun?"  
"The persocom-series I am a member from. We are called after our creator, Nepuchun-sama."_  
_"And he lives here?"  
"Lived. He deceased, but his spirit never really left this place." She closes her eyes again._ Jira? Are you around?  
So you did come... Did you bring Riko-san with you?  
Of course I did! Jira, he is Him!"  
You are sure?  
Yes. Now, show yourself!  
_"Over here." Jira's opened the door gloomily. "Well, I guess I can not send you back anymore now you have come so far... Come in." Riko enters after Saka, can only gaze at the space around him.  
"My god..." the ceiling is covered with stars and planets and is incredibly high. It's like they're walking in space, and in the middle, there's a kind of capsule placed. "What's that?" Riko asks, pointing at the subject.  
"That is..." Jira hesitates. "That is where Mizumi is at the moment... To recover..." She glares at the floor.   
"Re...recover?" Riko asks scaredly. "Did I..."  
"Not you," Saka says, "it is..."  
"Neko," Jira whispers, "Mizumi felt betrayed by her, by everyone. All of her feelings suddenly fell together and she crashed... Worse than ever..."  
"Worse than ever," Riko repeats, "Does it mean she's..."  
"Jira? Who is there?" The door of the capsule suddenly opens and Mizumi gets out of it.  
"Mizi!"  
"Oh, it's you," says Mizumi coolly, "Riko-san."  
"Mizi, what... tell me, girl... why did you say you never wanted to see me again?" He says gently. Jira grabs his arm, pulls him backwards warningly.  
"Be careful, I do not know what she might..."  
"Get out," says Mizumi. Riko gazes astounded at her.  
"Mizi, what is..."  
"Get out!"  
"But..."  
"GET! OUT!" She screams. "GO! AWAY! NOW!"  
"Listen to her," Saka calls, "go! Jira, take him outside, I will stay here with Mizumi!"  
"BUT MIZI!"  
"GET OUT!" Flames are dancing in Mizumi's eyes as Jira drags Riko out of the building.

**  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER VI. CURSE**

"No... Mizi..."  
"Forget her," Jira sighs, sitting in the grass next to Riko. "It sounds harsh, I know, but it is for the best. Her heart has broken, do not let your own heart break, too!"  
"You don't understand it," says Riko gloomily, "you have _no_ idea what this means to me..."  
"Well, I_ do_ have a 'heart', Riko-san," says Jira, "I can understand the meaning of sadness, but I never experienced a broken heart. So no, I can not understand what you are going through at the moment." He glares into the distance, sighs.  
"Y'know, it's strange," he suddenly mutters, "how much I care about her while we know each other for how long, a few months? And I never hesitated to acknowledge the way I feel about her, even though she's a persocom." Jira smiles.  
"Yeah, that is Nepuchun-sama's fault," she says, "Mizumi was made to have a heart, and to complete it, he installed something – I do not know what exactly, because he did not installed it in that shape into Saka and me – that gives her the ability to love and be loved. Nepuchun-sama, though, was afraid that no guy would dare to love her because she is a persocom, and so... _something_ in that programming... can make the person who secretly likes her back, fall madly in love with her all of a sudden."  
"So I'm the first victim of her programming," says Riko, smiling weakly. Jira nods.  
"Yes... the first one, too," she giggles, "so, congratulations on your scoop, Riko-san!"  
"Should I be happy with it, then?"  
"You may decide," she grins. "Anyway, chatted enough, I should get back to the restaurant before Tazuka-san fires me, too. What are you going to do?"  
"Try to get back in that house, I suppose," he says. "Due that programming or not, I _do_ like her a lot. I want to help her." Jira shrugs.  
"Well, I just hope you manage to get into that house and complete that new duty of yours. Good luck, and see you!"

"Did you calm down now, mother?" Mizumi glares at her 'daughter' gloomily.  
"Yes... why did I send him away, Saka? I do not even know it myself..." Saka sighs, embraces her mother.  
"I know," she says, "you are scared, are you not? You like him, but you know that strong feelings will make you crash, just like what has happened today." Mizumi sighs.  
"And besides all of that... I feel so guilty, Saka. If he is feeling attracted to me, it is my fault... All because of my programming..."  
"How did you find out about that?" asks Saka calmly. "I can not remember someone told you about it."  
"I found it out just now," Mizumi mutters, "I was in the capsule, I had contact with Nepuchun-sama's soul. He told me this. All about this...curse."  
"Mother, it is not a curse!" says Saka immediately. "You should be happy that our creator made this all possible for you! You are the only one with this gift, the rest of us will never feel it like you can now!"  
"Be happy!" Mizumi calls. "Be happy you can not feel it, Saka! I wish I was like you! An A.I., an Artificial Intelligence that does not crash the whole day, that does not have to 'live' with this curse! It is not a bless to love, Saka, it really is a curse!" She falls down on her knees. "A curse that will destroy me eventually..."  
"Do not talk like that!" Saka says, grabbing Mizumi's shoulders. "You are improving, did you never noticed that? In the beginning, you crashed when Riko-san asked him to call him by name, and now you can even call him Riko-chan without a pain!"  
"I will not improve fast enough to survive all of this," Mizumi whispers, "it is the reason, the only reason I keep telling him: "Don't love me"! But I know that, due to the curse that's laid on me, his feelings can not be hidden for long anymore. And there is more..." She lays her hand against her chest. "If he tells me he loves me and I will cease to function, not only _my _heart will be broken. His heart will be, too... And I do not want him to die. I wish I never grew to like him this much, Saka!" she cries. "It can not end on a proper way anymore... I signed my own 'death' with these feelings I am having..." She lays her hands against her face, cries for a long while. "I can not take this any longer, Saka... Maybe I should just fit an end to this..."  
"Mother, NO!"  
"Don't talk like that, Mizi." The persocoms both look up: Riko's standing in the door's opening. "It took me a while, but I managed to get in again," he says, "and I've heard everything."


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER VII. FATE**

"Riko-chan..." Mizumi whispers. He walks towards her, kneels in front of her. "I told you not to come back..."  
"I had to." He caresses her face. "I know what's going on here, Mizi. I know how my feelings were born... But it can't only be your programming that makes me feel like this."  
"Do not say this," Mizumi mutters, "I am serious, do not... I do not want us to die..."  
"I won't let that happen, Mizi." She looks up gloomily.  
"It is not like you can decide about that," she says, "only Nepuchun-sama's programming can... If you tell me this, our fate has been decided and will eventually happen."  
"She is right," Saka whispers, "sorry, Riko-san, but she is really right. We did not tell you to leave for nothing, you know."  
"I am sorry, so sorry," Mizumi says with pity in her voice, "but it will be your death if you do not leave now. So please, go."  
"But..."  
"Do not let me force you again," she whispers, "please leave voluntarily now you still can."

"Wow, you look depressed," says Hideto, when Riko's taken a table at Crystal Dragon. "Dumped by your girlfriend or something?"  
"Kind of," Riko mutters, glaring gloomily in the distance. He notices some persocoms are looking carefully at him.  
"Uh-oh," says Hideto softly, "tell me, is this gloomy mood connected with the disappearance of three of my persocoms, including Mizumi?" Riko nods gently; immediately, his table is surrounded by the final ten persocoms.  
"Really? Where are they?"  
"Why did they go?"  
"What is going on here!"  
"Oh, _please_," Riko sighs, "not all of you at the same moment!" He looks at them, points at the tallest one. "You... ehr..."  
"Meari," she sighs, "do we have to introduce ourselves first, then?"  
"Wouldn't be unnecessary luxury," is Riko's opinion. Immediately, ten hands are stretched out to him.  
"Ameiru, number one."  
"Meari, number two."  
"Hitori, number three." A persocom with blonde hair in two ponytails.  
"Hikaku, number four." A persocom with black hair in a clip.  
"Kiria, number five." Hair like Mizumi's, green eyes.  
"Herindera, number six." A silence, then:  
"Asuka, number then." Long braids like Herindera, but brown. She smiles. "Herindera's daughter."  
"Oh, shut up," Herindera groans. The introduction continues with unknown faces for Riko.  
"Sunako, number eleven." Green hair, blue eyes.  
"Ômiya, number twelve." Purple hair, pink eyes.  
"Jinja, number thirteen." Blue hair, red eyes. Riko looks at all of them.  
"I miss that Neko here," he says, "and by the way, Jinja, I thought Mizumi was number thirteen?"  
"We ourselves use the counting in order we have been created," Jinja says. "The counting used by Tazuka-san has been given to us by our creator, in the order of how complex the persocom is, including the ability of her heart. Mizumi is the most developed one, despite of later models like Saka and Jira. And about Neko..." She points at the kitchen. "Over there, probably eavesdropping us."  
"Oh, _you_," Neko groans, appearing from the kitchen indeed. "What is going on? I did not hear all of it, you know."  
"Mizumi, Saka and Jira are gone, probably because of you," says Herindera sneeringly, "and we are waiting for Riko to tell us why they went off, where, how long etceteras. So, Riko-san?" They all gaze at him.  
"Well, ehr, after Mizumi'd been fired, Saka and Jira ran away, as you probably know," he says, repeating Saka's words from earlier that day. "Mizumi contacted them when she was crashing after her encounter with Neko, and so they tried to help her. Jira brought her back to the house of her creator, Nepuchun-sama, while Saka waited for me to tell me what Mizumi told her: that I never should see her again... Then there was a lot of complicated talking about the way Mizumi was built, and in the end, when I finally managed to get into the building, she sent me away."  
"That stupid...!" says Neko immediately, "she crashed! The most complicated persocom crashed and was brought to _that_ place? How wrong things can go!" Everybody glares at her.  
"How do you know that, Neko?" asks Kiria coolly.

"Let me help you, mother," Saka begs, "let me help you, please... you know your secret, your gift. You also know Nepuchun-sama's power is able to help you."  
"I do not want to use his magic when I do not need it," Mizumi whispers, lying on the floor. Saka glares sadly at her.  
"Please mother, accept help! You know the disaster that will strike when you cease to function! Then the whole Nepuchun-series were for nothing, then none of us will be able to use our wonderful gift you can start!"  
"That gift is surely not as wonderful as you think," Mizumi whispers, "I would rather cease to function than use it, now..."


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER VIII. GIFT**

"Oh, mother…" Saka sighs. "Why are you saying all of this? Your gift is the reason our series exist, if you do not use it we have all failed! If you will never use it, you will eventually shut yourself off with it, and us with you!" Mizumi glares blankly at the ceiling.  
"I am sorry about that, Saka. I really am, but this gift is a curse, I told you that before."  
"It is not! Mother, I thought you liked Riko-san so much! Am I wrong when I say that you want to be with him forever, that you want to have sweet words whispered in your ear without you will have to be afraid you will crash?"  
"That is a privilege I will never have, 'gift' or not," Mizumi whispers. "Trust me… Riko-chan's feelings towards me are not real, but they are simulated by my programming. When that ceases, his 'love' for me will, too."  
"You forget one thing," Saka says, "he can not love you just on base of your programming; Nepuchun-sama took care of that. Riko-san at least _likes_ you on his own."  
"That may be so… but that is not enough to turn my curse into the real gift," says Mizumi gloomily.

"I…" Neko hesitates. "I have been installed with information of every single persocom-series."  
"The Nepuchun-series were never made public," says Ameiru coolly, "you can not know those things about us, unless you have spied us." She looks at Riko. "What will we do? Shut off this noisy persocom or go to persuade Mizumi together?"  
"Well, Neko's behaviour is just a program," Riko shrugs, "there's no need to shut her off, she can hardly do us any damage. But Mizumi…"  
"Neko was right about her," Jira suddenly says. "She really is the strongest persocom that has ever been built, even though Saka and I were made to improve her." She looks at the others. " What about this… we are going to our home, and tell Riko-san the truth about Mizumi and her gift."

" Who starts?" Jira softly asks, as they are all sitting in the grass in front of Nepuchun's house.  
"Well, why don't you?" Riko says. "You're her daughter, after all."  
"I have been built too recently to know it all," says Jira simply. " I suggest Herindera. As her best friend…"  
"Oh, _fine_," Herindera sighs. She takes place in the middle of the group, her face towards Riko: he's the one who needs the information the most, after all. "Well, as Jira and Neko have already said… Mizumi is the most powerful persocom in this world. She was the reason Nepuchun-sama started his series; she was the first and only model that turned out the way he wanted all of us to be. He created six other models after her, but she was, and is, unique."  
"That's no news to me anymore," Riko interrupts.  
"Yeah, well, that was the introduction," says Herindera, rather insulted. "The real point here is Mizumi's gift."  
"Isn't that her ability to love and be loved?" says Riko, thinking of Saka's words. But Herindera shakes her head.  
"No… although it _is_ a part of it," she says. "Mizumi's gift contains that… if her will is strong enough, if she loves and is loved enough… she is able to turn from a persocom into a human girl."

"So, time's already come, hasn't it?" says Hideto thoughtfully, as Neko's told him everything. She nods.  
"Yes… and if we don't interfere now, this Riko can activate _it_ any moment."  
"Well, well…" he mutters. " Good old Riko-kun… who could have thought he would be The One for that 'com… I wish we could leave him out of this, though."  
"It's his own fault, he fell in love with her," says Neko shrugging. "He had a choice, and he made it. Don't feel pity for him, even though he's your friend, Hideto."  
"Well, 'he had a_ choice_'…" Hideto grins. "Mizumi is really attractive, y'know. A lot of customers ask for her to serve them, and if it wasn't for the fact I'm already settled…" He pushes Neko against him for a moment. "… I think I'd have fallen for her charms as well."  
"Hey, hey!" Neko grins, "don't you dare! Anyway, we have some serious business to handle now, Hideto. Let's go to that place before it's too late."


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER IX. CONFUSION**

Riko gazes astounded at Herindera. "Turn into a…"  
"Human, yes," Herindera sighs, "how many times do we have to repeat it before you finally believe us? Your pretty persocom-girlfriend can turn into a human forever if she wants to… but, more importantly, and that is where you come in…" She grins. "…only when you love her enough. Enough to, when she has turned into a human and lost her programming, continue to love her for who she is. It is easy, Riko-san. Confess your feelings to her and she will turn into a human; she will never crash again, she will never tell you not to love her anymore."  
"But this all means…" Riko whispers. "…this Nepuchun-sama… has created human kind again! That's world's biggest scoop!"  
"It is," a sudden voice says, "and it's, on top of that, ethically _completely_ unwarranted."  
"Who…" Everybody looks up: Neko and Hideto have arrived, and Neko's spoken those words. It has a huge effect on everyone: Jira closes her eyes immediately, thinks Open the door, Saka! NOW! that loudly that she could have screamed instead for the same effect; Saka quickly opens the door from inside and Riko's being pushed inside, as the others surround Neko and Hideto to prevent them from sneaking in.

"Over here," Saka says, dragging Riko along with her. "I suppose they told you everything?" "They did," he gasps; she's running so fast that it's hard to catch up with her. "How's Mizumi doing, Saka?"  
"Pretty badly," she confesses, "but you will see for yourself. Do not be afraid, though, but she is currently floating."  
"Floating! What the…"  
"Yeah, well," Saka sighs, "she hovers between her feelings, her desires… See for yourself." She lets him into the huge space he was before: Mizumi's floating into it, but seems to be surrounded by a kind of half-transparent wall.  
"Mizi…" he whispers. She has heard him, looks up and helplessly stretches out her hand to him.   
"Riko-chan…" He hits the wall, kicks against it furiously.  
"I-can't-get-through-that-stupid-thing," he angrily groans.  
"You can," Saka whispers, "if you really want to, you can… you really want to be with her, do you not?"  
"What does it look like!" Riko calls, hammering against the wall.  
"Stop this violence and concentrate," Saka says, "then you are able to get in."  
"FINE!" he says furiously. He closes his eyes, presses his eyelids against each other.  
"Well… Now try to get in."  
"But that wall's still soli…"  
"Just try." He nods, stretches out his hand; there's a weak resistance, then, it appears like he's getting through it. When he opens, very gently, his eyes, he finds out his arm is already half-way through the wall now. "You are almost there, just keep going!" Saka calls. He nods, closes his eyes again… then, he feels he falls through the wall, painfully lands on the floor. "You did it!" Saka yells; her voice sounds muffled from behind the wall.  
"Yeah, I noticed it," he calls back grinning. He also notices he's starting to float, just like Mizumi. Must be the force field we're in that's causing that, he thinks. Then, something else catches his attention. Mizumi's stretched out her hand to him, whispering the nickname she's given him.  
"Riko-chan…" And this time, he's able to grab her hand.  
"I'm here with you, Mizi," he whispers, pushing her against him. "And I always will be…"

"Get out of my way!" Neko calls. "Or you force me to use _this_!" She holds out a small case with a button. "Nepuchun-sama made this to shut all of you off if it'd work out in the wrong way," she grins, "so I_ will_ use it eventually… it wasn't easy to lay my hands on, I have to tell you that. Your creator was smart, but not smart enough… Anyway, I can also make this situation as positively as possible for your sake. I can shut all of you off, but if you help me, I'll only have to shut number Thirteen off. You may choose."  
"You are not a persocom," Herindera suddenly says. "I knew it from the start, you were way too independent to be a persocom, although you made me doubt with your accent. Very persocom-ish. And those ears… fakes, right?"  
"Right," says Neko, taking off a hair-band with the persocom-ears attached to it. "You're brighter than I thought, I surely underestimated you… Not like it's gonna make any difference," she grins. "Ah, well, I'll be polite enough to introduce myself first… My real name is Neko Kagami. Hideto's fiancée."  
"_You_!" Herindera calls, pointing furiously at Hideto. "You knew about what we are for all those times, did you not! From the moment you bought us, you knew this would happen eventually!"  
"I can't and won't deny that," says Hideto calmly.  
"Then why the hell did you fire Mizumi!" Herindera screams. Hideto looks at her.  
"Talked enough," he says. "I'm sorry, Herindera, but if you don't let us in, you will be shut off, too, together with your sweet best friend."

**  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER X. SPY**

She lays her head against his shoulder, sobs gently. "Oh, Riko-chan…" He lays his hands around her slender shoulders.  
"Ssh… Calm down, Mizi, there's nothing to cry about…"  
"There is," she mutters, "there is! Riko-chan, I… I… I love you! There…" He smiles happily.  
"Then why would you cry? Hey, girl, I lo…"  
"Do not say it!" she calls. "Don't love me! How many times do I have to yell it before you finally understand it! DON'T LOVE ME!"

"Let us in, robots!" Neko screams, bashing the door the persocoms have locked behind them when they'd run in. Neko and Hideto, though, are still outside.  
"We are not robots," Ameiru calls, leaning against the door to keep it closed. "And you are the one who is stupid here! You really think you can stop faith!"  
"Faith doesn't exist!" Neko calls. "Y'know what! I've had enough from you, so _shut up_!" She turns on her button, and Ameiru collapses. Neko and Hideto run in immediately.  
"Lead us to Mizumi or the same thing will happen to you," says Hideto threateningly, pointing at Ameiru.

"I don't understand it," Riko says, "the others told me that loving you was the only way to help you out, and _you_ tell me the opposite! Who do I have to believe now? Or…" He bends his head. "Do you prefer a life as a persocom above a human life? Because then, I'll leave you alone…"  
"I do not know what I want anymore," she whispers, "I want to be with you, I want to be with my friends… I want an existence without crashing, but I do not know whether or not I want to be a human girl. Once I have changed, I will never be able to turn it back. This decision is for the rest of my life." She sighs deeply. "Do you understand me now, Riko-chan? Do you understand my confusion? If it was not for the fact we are in Nepuchun-sama's force field, I would crash right now, just because of my confusion about all of this…"  
"Wait a minute," says Riko suddenly, "this field prevents you from crashing!" She nods gently.  
"Yes… what…" He grabs her shoulders, forces her to look in his eyes.  
"Then there's nothing to hold me back from saying… that I love you, no matter what."  
"Riko-chan…"  
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" A voice yells. "GET DOWN, YOU TWO! NOT ANOTHER WORD FROM EITHER OF YOU!" They both look down, see Neko and Hideto standing in the room. Neko's holding her index finger against the button as if it were a gun.  
"Neko? Hideto-san!" says Riko astounded. "What… hey, what's happened to your ears, Neko?"  
"Over here," Neko grins, waving with her 'ear-band'. "It was the ideal disguise to spy Mizumi, y'know. Now_ come down_!" Mizumi looks gloomily at the floor, closes her eyes; then, she and Riko gently land back on the floor.  
"I _knew_ it," she whispers, "I already knew it when I saw you for the very first time…"  
"Pity, but it's too late now," Neko grins, waving with her case. "This will shut you off forever, persocom. You will never turn into a human girl, and neither your friends will."  
"NO!" Riko calls. Mizumi's hiding behind him scared and he puts his arms protecting in front of her. "Don't you dare to touch her!"  
"I won't touch her, I'll just shut her off," says Neko calmly.  
"That's what I meant! Don't you dare!"  
"You don't understand it, Riko-kun," Hideto says. "When Mizumi turns into a human, the other will have that opportunity as well when they also learn how to love. That's the most irresponsible thing to do."  
"_You_ don't understand it!" Riko calls. "I trusted you, Hideto-san! You knew it the moment you bought those series, so why on earth have you bought them then! And why did you fire Mizumi, for heaven's sake?"  
"Those were my ways to the plan to stop them all to become what they're made for," says Neko, "now get out of my way."  
"NEVER!" Riko suddenly takes Mizumi in his arms. "No matter what, Neko, Hideto-san… no matter if it's her programming that activated these feelings, but I love Mizumi with whole my heart!"  
"You don't even know her long enough to love her without that programming," Neko says, "so if you help her to turn her into a human with that fake love, the biggest disaster ever will strike. Now _get out of my way_!" Hideto suddenly pulls Riko away from Mizumi.  
"HIDETO-SAN! I TRUSTED YOU, YOU WERE MY FRIEND!"  
"Sorry, buddy," he mutters. "Go ahead, Neko." Neko nods, directs her case into Mizumi's direction. The persocom's standing there beaten, doesn't even avoid the beam coming from Neko's push on the button. Riko glares at her as the beam hits her.  
"MIZI! NOT YOU!"

**  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER XI. LOVE**

"What the…" Neko rams on her button. "She should collapse now, just as that Ameiru-com!"  
"Riko-chan…" Mizumi mutters. Her ears starts to glow, and suddenly, she starts floating again.  
"YOU HAVE TO CEASE TO FUNCTION!" Neko calls, still ramming on her button. "Stupid persocom! Die! Cease to function, never talk again! You may not _transform_!" Mizumi closes her eyes, floats immobile through the space.  
"Riko-chan loves me… and I love him, too… He says he does not care if it was my programming that made him fall in love with me, so that means he will love me without it, too. My curse… will finally change into my true gift…"  
"NOOO!" Neko screams, ramming her button, throwing the case on the floor and tap-dancing on it. Mizumi's ears glow so powerfully that everybody has to blind their eyes; the next moment, her ears suddenly explode.  
"MIZI! Are you alright!" Riko calls, unfastening himself from Hideto's grip and running to her. She opens her eyes slowly: they first seem blank, but then, they merrily sparkle.  
"Riko-chan!" She falls down, down into his arms and smiles at him as he embraces her.  
"Mizi… you're alright, aren't you?"  
"I'm better than ever," she shines. "And you know why? Because I love you, Riko-chan, and now I'm a human girl and I'll never have to crash again 'cause of my feelings. Unless…" She looks into his eyes. "Are you still in love with me, Riko-chan? Otherwise I'll have to die…" He swallows, looks at the girl in his arms and feels all looks on him. Hoping looks from the persocoms, cursing looks of Neko and Hideto who probably wish him to say "I hate you" rather than "I love you" to Mizumi. And he knows what his answer will be, now and forever.  
"Well, that I was in love with you was all caused by your programming," he says, "so I'll have to say… No. I'm not in love with you."   
"You're… not?" she whispers, grabbing his shirt terrified. He smiles.  
"Let me finish my sentence, girl," he says. "There is a stronger feeling than_ being_ in love with a person… That's_ loving_ a person… loving so deeply that it'll never pass, no matter how long you know each other." She looks happily at him.  
"So… so you mean…"  
"Yes, Mizi." He smiles, strokes her cheek. "I love you." She embraces him.  
"I love you too… I'll never, ever say "Don't Love Me" anymore, I swear…"

The persocoms all cheer and start clapping: Ameiru's come round again now Neko's destroyed the case with the button. Neko, who's looking very frustrated at the happy couple.  
"Oh, no… all our effort… all our work to stop it, and it all was for nothing…" Hideto looks at her.  
"Chin up, Neko, it's happened now. Just be happy for that couple, okay? Now, let's go, we have some important stuff to talk about."  
"Oh?" He smiles.  
"Yes… hey girl, don't you want to get married after being engaged for more than four years now? You're twenty-three now that must be old enough!"  
"You're right," she happily smiles, "yes, you're right, Hideto… Let's get married…" She looks into his eyes. "But what about your restaurant? It's always been your greatest wish to have something like "Crystal Dragon"!"  
"Well, I was hoping the persocoms would forgive me and still would like to work at my place," he says, "and if they won't… well, I'll manage everything with you by my side, Neko."

"I can not believe it," Herindera grins, "now Miz is a human, we can be one too if we find love!"  
"Yes…" Kiria blushes. She thinks about that customer, that one who keeps asking for her… her look goes dreamily and Ameiru doesn't miss that.  
"Oh… seems like our Kiria is going to be a human soon, too," she chuckles. "What is his name, Kiria?" Kiria deeply reddens.  
"He is just a customer who asks for me to serve him," she mutters, "his name is Kadimo…"  
"Just a customer, huh?" Ameiru grins. "If I am not mistaken, that is how Mizumi and Riko started, too! Tell me all about him!" She merrily puts an arm around Kiria's shoulders and asks everything, from the colour of his eyes until his favourite food.  
"I must have a boyfriend, too," Herindera yells. "Hey, RIKO-SAN! You do not have an attractive brother or something by accident, do you?"  
"Well, I _do_ have a brother," Riko merrily calls from above, with Mizumi in his arms. "I could arrange a meeting between the two of you, then you can decide for yourself whether he's attractive or not."  
"Deal!" Mizumi laughs because of Herindera's reaction, looks into Riko's eyes with a blessed look.   
"Riko-chan, I want to show you something," she says, grabbing his hand. "Come."

**  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER XII. HAPPINESS**

She suddenly starts floating again, drags him along in her flight. "It's up here," she smiles, "in the ceiling. It's so beautiful…" She takes him higher and higher, points at one of the stars. "You see that star, Riko-chan? Shining brighter than the others?"  
"I see it," he says, "It seems blue."  
"It doesn't only _seem_ blue, it _is_ blue," she chuckles. "Just a bit higher, then you can touch it." Riko looks down as they reach the star: the persocoms down look as small as ants.  
"It's higher than I thought," he says. She nods.  
"Yes… Fear of heights?"  
"A bit," he confesses. She smiles.  
"Yeah, me too." He looks astonished at her.  
"And then you dare to float this high?"  
"You forget your fear when see it… Ah, we've arrived." The 'star' is as big as a football, beaming and deep blue. "You can catch it, too," Mizumi says, taking the ball in her hands. "Come on, touch it if you dare!" He smiles, lays his hands on it.  
"Warm," he says, "gentle warm…"  
"I know… there's a story that belongs with it, do you want to hear it?" He nods.  
"I'm hanging on your lips." She chuckles.  
"Heehee, okay… well, you see, Nepuchun-sama didn't have his odd name for nothing, and he didn't create this space for nothing, either. He loved astronomy… He changed his name himself and made this room with the entire universe, starting with the same  
'star': Nepuchun. Neptune, the Blue Planet. His favourite." She smiles. "He also loved maths… That's how I got my numbers. He created me as seventh one: seven, known as the number of luck. He gave me my second number for development: thirteen, known as the number of bad luck. Together they're harmony… Thirteen, seven, together twenty. The amount of moons he himself spotted around Neptune. Two and zero makes two: Neptune is the second planet counted from the outside of our solar system. Plus, of course, he created twins for me to be my daughters. And…" She lays his hands on his, which are still lying around the ball. "He wanted me to be with someone, someone just as precious for me as astronomy and maths were to him… He wanted me to be with that person, just the two of us… Two…" It's silent for a while; both Riko and Mizumi let the little planet go, and it floats just a bit above their heads.  
"Well, not a full moon, but it's still romantic," she giggles.  
"Yeah… ehm… Mizi?"  
"Yes?" He lays his hands against her cheeks.  
"May… May I ki…"  
"Allow me." She lays her hands against his cheeks, and suddenly, she kisses his lips. From far beneath them, he hears applause and cheers; then, he's completely absorbed by Mizumi and his love for her…

"Oh, come_ on_!" She calls. "Why not!"  
"Because this is_ my_ apartment maybe, in case you never noticed before!"  
"Yeah, and they're_ my_ daughters!" Riko sighs deeply.  
"So _what_?"  
"I want to have them close to me!"  
"You still work together at "Crystal Dragon", for heaven's sake!"  
"I want to have them with me _after_ work, too!" she calls. She puts his arms around his neck. "Please, Riko-chan! They're my baby-girls! I've seen them developing from the beginning of their creation!"  
"If they're your baby-girls, then who's their father! … Oh, never mind," he sighs, "you want the four of us to be a happy family, don't you?" She nods merrily. "Oh, _fine_! I'll see what I'm gonna do tomorrow, when I've brought you to your work."  
"Thank you thank you thank you!" she cheers, kissing his cheek.  
"Yeah, yeah, it's fine," he grins, "as long as you don't want to adopt the other 'coms as well!"  
"Maybe Herindera…"  
"NO WAY!"  
"Just kidding!"

"Haven't seen you for quite a while," Hideto grins as he sees Riko.  
"Yeah, last time was yesterday, so long ago," Riko smiles. "How are you doing, Hideto-san? Still happily married?"  
"Hey, what would you expect?" Neko chuckles, appearing from behind her husband. "I'll be right back, Hideto, they need me in the kitchen." As she walks off, Hideto looks at Riko.  
"Honestly, I'm surprised by those 'coms," he says, "that all of them – and you, of course – were able to forgive us… and they even got friends with Neko! Anyway, are you just dropping Mizumi here or is there a special reason you're here?"  
"She wants to take the twins into my apartment," Riko sighs. Hideto chuckles.  
"You may have them… Neko and I hardly have any space upstairs with eleven 'coms walking around."  
"Ah, well, without the twins it will make eight, you can survive that," Herindera grins, passing them.  
"Who taught you how to count? A toddler?" Hideto says, furrowing his eyebrow. "Eleven minus two is still nine, y'know."  
"I know," Herindera shines, "but eleven minus _three_ is not!" She looks at Riko. "After Mizumi and Kiria, I will be the third one to move out here and find luck elsewhere… to go live with the guy who loves me enough to turn me into a human. Have I already thanked you for introducing me to your brother, Riko-kun?"  
"Eh… Any time," Riko mutters astonished. It's silent for a while, then, Hideto suddenly says:  
"hey, why don't you guys just get married? I mean, how long have you loved each other now? Two, three years?" Riko looks up.  
"Who? Mizumi and me?" Hideto sighs.  
"No, Santa Clause and you," he says, "of _course _Mizumi and you, who else!" Riko blushes.  
"I…. haven't thought about that yet."  
"Maybe you should, then."  
"Yeah…" That moment, Mizumi runs to them.  
"Great news! Saka and Jira would love to move in with us," she yells, "and have I heard it well? Is Herindera truly gonna become my sister-in-law?"  
"Then the two of you should get married first, Mizumi," Hideto smiles, pointing at her and Riko. Mizumi chuckles.  
"Oh, we eventually will of course," she shines, "won't we, Riko-chan?" He looks at her, merrily puts an arm around her.  
"Yes," he says, "yes, we will…"

**END**


End file.
